Instructional Digital Model to Promote Virtual Teaching and Learning for Autism Care Centres

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to temporary school closures affecting over 90% of students worldwide. This has exacerbated educational inequality, particularly for students with learning disabilities such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), whose routines, services, and support they rely on have been disrupted. To address this issue, it is important to investigate virtual teaching and learning (VTL) strategies that can provide a more effective learning experience for these unique learners. The main objectives of this research are twofold: to investigate the challenges faced by teachers and students with ASD in Malaysia when adapting to online education, and to explore how the learning process occurs during the pandemic. Additionally, the study aimed to identify suitable VTL technology for autism care centres. Four autism care centres were visited for on-site observation activities, and interviews were conducted with the care centre principals. Two sets of online questionnaires were distributed to 10 autism care centres, where 6 principals and 16 teachers provided feedback. The data collected through on-site observations, interviews, and online questionnaires, were then analysed to construct an instructional digital model (IDM) for VTL. The model is very significant as a guide for the development of VTL platform for autism care centres. Finally, a VTL platform development framework was created, which provides a structure for system developers to conduct further research on the development of VTL platform based on the IDM. The framework aims to facilitate the successful implementation of the VTL.

Virtual Teaching and Learning Platform for Caregivers of Children with Autism

“…ICT provides interactive and customizable learning experiences, offering clear boundaries, control, and attention-grabbing features. Technology enables students with special needs to access tasks that would otherwise be difficult for them [13], [14], [15], [16].…”

Transformative Learning Through Augmented Reality Empowered by Machine Learning for Primary School Pupils: A Real-Time Data Analysis

“…Careful planning and implementation can make AR a powerful educational tool.With the potential to provide students with immersive and interactive learning experiences that surpass the constraints of conventional teaching methods, augmented reality (AR) has the potential to revolutionise the primary school education system. The author in [21], [22] are just two of the many studies that have shown how AR improves student learning outcomes. discovered that AR-based virtual reality walkthroughs can effectively reduce motion sickness and improve learning outcomes.…”

Virtual teaching and learning for autistic students amidst the pandemic: a systematic literature review

“…Thematic analysis, guided by framework [1], [2], identified five main themes: support, coping strategies, teaching strategies, flexibility, and communication. Within these themes, 14 subthemes were identified, covering aspects such as parental involvement [3]- [6], assistive technologies [7]- [12], individualized instruction [13]- [19], and virtual social interactions [20]- [26]. Practical implications for educators, policymakers, and researchers in special education are highlighted, offering evidence-based strategies for optimizing VTL experiences for autistic students.…”